Judicial cooperation: extension of the exchange programme for legal practitioners, Grotius-civil, for 2001

PURPOSE : To extend for the period of one year as a transitional measure the part of the Grotius programme relating to civil law. CONTENT : The Council decided in 1996 to set up a programme of incentives and exchanges for legal practitioners - the Grotius programme. This was set up in 1996 on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union and expires in 2000. The reports issued on its implementation indicate that it should be extended. With the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty, judicial cooperation in the areas of civil and criminal law now have two different legal bases (Title IV of the Treaty establishing the European Community and Title VI of the Treaty on European Union respectively). This Regulation is concerned only with the extension of that part of the Grotius programme that relates to judicial cooperation in civil matters. The Commission is considering the future of the Grotius-civil programme, particularly in relation to the Robert Schuman project, a programme to raise awareness of Community law among members of the legal professions. It will not be possible to implement the revised Grotius before the expiry of the Robert Schuman project at the end of 2001. Hence this proposal will extend the Grotius-civil programme for another year. The financial reference amount is EUR 650 million.�